Alexander Vaughan & Sidney Bushnell

woody 73 · Nov 26, 2014

Sometimes it take a tragic thing that brings two people together and that was the case of the great Chicago fire of 1871. Alexander Vaughan founded in 1869 in Peoria, Illinois got his start in the plumbing business. He soon realized the need to move to the windy city and that move led him to a spot behind a hardware store owned by Sidney Bushnell. After the great fire destroyed everything Alexander needed funds and Sidney came to his rescue; and the rest as they say is History.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaughan_&_Bushnell_Manufacturing

http://www.vaughanmfg.com/pages/history-of-vaughan

http://www.vaughanandbushnellplanes.com/

Cope · Nov 26, 2014

Thanks for posting. I think VB is the best kept secret in the tool world. I have a really old VB ball Peen, a couple of 10 oz. claw hammers and a brick mason's hammer.

woody 73 · Nov 26, 2014

Way cool thanks for posting that picture. :rocker:

Private Lugnutz · Apr 20, 2018

I found a strange pair of pliers with wire cutters today at the flea market. Antique era for sure.

Strange, because when they are closed all the way, the jaws do not meet and they are not designed to meet. I imagine they are meant to grasp things, or maybe a specific thing, that is within the range of their minimum and maximum capacity.

The trademark, located in a square just behind the pivot, is so finely stamped, I could not read it at the flea market. Regardless of the mfgr, they were too cool to leave behind. Turns out they're from Vaughan & Bushnell.

I don't know when they went away from this logo, but they were using it at least as early as 1922, and they may have been using it from the company's inception as Vaughan & Bushnell in 1882. (Vaughan preceded that business entity, as woody's summary and links explain above.) Reads, verbatim: VAUGHAN & BUSHNELL MFG CO and CHICAGO U.S.A. around the fancy V&B trademark.

We don't have an odd pliers thread (we don't have a pliers thread, for that matter), but woody's V&B thread will do.

There's a hammer with the exact same logo posted by GJ member Cope on this thread, here.

And GJ member DuroChrome (who I have not seen around in a while!) found what is very likely the same pair of pliers, shown - and described as "do not close all the way" - in this thread here.

Pic 1: Jaws in fully opened position.
Pic 2: Jaws in partially close position, with cutting edges lined up.
Pic 3: Jaws in fully closed position.
Pic 4: View of entire tool.
Pic 5: View of grips.
Pic 6: Zoom on logo.

MisterEd · Feb 17, 2024

Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Company displayed their version of “ALWAYS READY WRENCHES” in their 1903 and 1905 Catalogs. It is also shown in “A. Treadway & Sons Hardware” catalog on page 118 of 1895, which, of course, can be found on Archive.org.

Here’s ours, found by the SigO, as usual. Had to apply chalk to make the stamped name legible enough to decipher. It’s a No.1 which sold, in 1895, for $5.00 per dozen.

Private Lugnutz · Mar 17, 2024

Picked up this "Handy" (don't say "Alligator," which was TM'ed by Roebling) wrench at the flea this morning.

four.cycle · Mar 17, 2024

Vaughan & Bushnell, Chicago LOGO from 1906 advertisement

Vaughan & Bushnell, Chicago LOGO stamped on wrench (date unknown)

Vaughan & Bushnell, Chicago LOGO from 1924 advertisement

1901 Iron Age Vaughan & Bushnell Garden City pliers ad pp 61-62

1906 Hardware Dealers Magazine Vaughan & Bushnell Franklin ad pp 157

1924 American Builder Vaughan & Bushnell ad pp 453.jpg

1924 American Builder Vaughan & Bushnell ad pp 453

.... it kind of looks like they were turning loose of the "Bushnell" part way back:

1939 Hardware Age Vaughan & Bushnell ad pp 173

1952 Hardware Age Vaughan Tools ad pp 92.jpg

1952 Hardware Age Vaughan Tools ad pp 92

Vaughan / Vaughan Mfg., 665 W Jackson St., Ste. C, Woodstock, IL 60098 (135 S. LaSalle St., Chicago - 1952) / http://www.vaughanmfg.com/ / successor to Vaughan & Bushnell /

Vaughan & Bushnell / see Vaughan Mfg., 665 W. Jackson St. Ste. C, Woodstock, IL 60098 / (formerly 146 S. Washington St., Bushnell, IL 61422)(formerly 2114-38 Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL) / renamed Vaughan Mfg. ? / est. 1869 / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers-p3.html#vaughan-bushnell / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/alexander-vaughan-sidney-bushnell.270378/ /

==

* not to be confused with:
Vaughan / Vaughan Novelty Manufacturing Company, 3211 Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL (later Vaughan Mfg. Co.) / est. 1910 / bottle and can opener / patent D44226 Jun 7 1913 & D46762 Dec 8 1914 Harry L. Vaughan & D170999 Dec 1 1953 M.J. La Forte & D143327 Dec 25 1945 Michael J. LaForte & 1207100 Dec 5 1916 & D177041 Mar 6 1956 John M. Grace & 1490149 Apr 15 1924 Harry L. Vaughan & 1617148 Feb 8 1925 R.T. Chase & 1715524 Jun 4 1929 H.L. Vaughan & 1996550 Apr 2 1935 John M. Hothersall and Dewitt F. Sampson & 2018083 Oct 22 1935 James Andrew Murdock & 2237418 Apr 8 1941 F.E. Fender et al & 2662280 Dec 15 1953 Michael J. LaForte & 2663076 Dec 22 1953 Ralph Robinson / https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/single-post/vaughan-novelty/ / http://www.bullworks.net/virtual/openers/package/vaughan.htm /

four.cycle · Mar 17, 2024

the earliest catalog page I have which shows both @Mister Ed's "Always Ready" and @Private Lugnutz's "Don't Call Me Alligator" No. 1 is this 1890's page from a Hibbard Spencer & Bartlett catalog:

1890s Hibbard Spencer Barlett & Co catalog Vaughan & Bushnell Alligator Bemis & Call Baxter Po...jpg

1890s Hibbard Spencer Barlett & Co catalog Vaughan & Bushnell Alligator Bemis & Call Baxter Portsmouth Always Ready ad pp 154

DetailSeeker · Aug 26, 2025

This is quite a late response, but I figured I might as well note it here, on a thread referenced by the great index:

Private Lugnutz said:
I found a strange pair of pliers with wire cutters today at the flea market. Antique era for sure.

Strange, because when they are closed all the way, the jaws do not meet and they are not designed to meet. I imagine they are meant to grasp things, or maybe a specific thing, that is within the range of their minimum and maximum capacity.

The trademark, located in a square just behind the pivot, is so finely stamped, I could not read it at the flea market. Regardless of the mfgr, they were too cool to leave behind. Turns out they're from Vaughan & Bushnell.

I don't know when they went away from this logo, but they were using it at least as early as 1922, and they may have been using it from the company's inception as Vaughan & Bushnell in 1882. (Vaughan preceded that business entity, as woody's summary and links explain above.) Reads, verbatim: VAUGHAN & BUSHNELL MFG CO and CHICAGO U.S.A. around the fancy V&B trademark.

We don't have an odd pliers thread (we don't have a pliers thread, for that matter), but woody's V&B thread will do.

There's a hammer with the exact same logo posted by GJ member Cope on this thread, here.

And GJ member DuroChrome (who I have not seen around in a while!) found what is very likely the same pair of pliers, shown - and described as "do not close all the way" - in this thread here.

Pic 1: Jaws in fully opened position.
Pic 2: Jaws in partially close position, with cutting edges lined up.
Pic 3: Jaws in fully closed position.
Pic 4: View of entire tool.
Pic 5: View of grips.
Pic 6: Zoom on logo.

I found these! I got a pair myself from the tool library pile and could not figure out what the hell they were for.

Behold!

Despite apparently having a strong start, I think it is safe to say that these did not take off and are currently a touch obscure.

They aren't in V&B's 1910 catalog, but have a full-page display in the 1921 and 1923 catalogs. By 1924 (the publication date is listed as 1927, but the publication date of catalog 27 is also listed as 1927, and they seem quite different), they have pulled themselves together enough to be pliers, not plier, and are on the same page as other plier offerings.

The first mention I can find of them ever is on June 23, 1917, in the American Artisan and Hardware Record, June 23, 1917, and the September 6, 1917 Hardware Age refers to them as a recent addition. (The last time I can find them outside the V&B catalog is the June 26, 1920 AAHR.)

So: hit the market in 1917, did okay for a year or two, and then gradually faded away to disappear sometime between 1924 and 1927.

(Incidentally: the '23 catalog had the swash-topped B on the cover; the '24 (I'm sure) catalog had the tops of the V and B running into each other.)

Beerhippie · Aug 26, 2025

DetailSeeker said:
This is quite a late response, but I figured I might as well note it here, on a thread referenced by the great index:

I found these! I got a pair myself from the tool library pile and could not figure out what the hell they were for.

Behold!

Despite apparently having a strong start, I think it is safe to say that these did not take off and are currently a touch obscure.

They aren't in V&B's 1910 catalog, but have a full-page display in the 1921 and 1923 catalogs. By 1924 (the publication date is listed as 1927, but the publication date of catalog 27 is also listed as 1927, and they seem quite different), they have pulled themselves together enough to be pliers, not plier, and are on the same page as other plier offerings.

The first mention I can find of them ever is on June 23, 1917, in the American Artisan and Hardware Record, June 23, 1917, and the September 6, 1917 Hardware Age refers to them as a recent addition. (The last time I can find them outside the V&B catalog is the June 26, 1920 AAHR.)

So: hit the market in 1917, did okay for a year or two, and then gradually faded away to disappear sometime between 1924 and 1927.

(Incidentally: the '23 catalog had the swash-topped B on the cover; the '24 (I'm sure) catalog had the tops of the V and B running into each other.)

I'm staring at that ad, just waiting 'til he hits the end of the handles on the other post....

Private Lugnutz · Aug 26, 2025

DetailSeeker said:
This is quite a late response, but I figured I might as well note it here...

Well, I'm glad someone did it - and happy it was you, Frances! I identified it a while ago, and I could've sworn I updated this thread, but my recollection was identifying a pair that @LesserSon found and reported on the 2025 Garage Sale thread earlier this year, linked here. I linked the same catalog!

Nice work. It's a real pleasure to have like-minded researchers on the site.

DetailSeeker · Aug 27, 2025

One last quick note; the first 1917 appearance of the nut plier describes it as oil-tempered and does not mention (or depict, although I admit I am relying on a drawing) the screwdriver on one handle.

The 1921 and later catalogs all mention black-enamelled handles and polished jaws, with a screwdriver on one handle. Might be useful for narrowing down the date range of individual examples? (Not that it isn't already quite short...)

Just noticed that as I was writing this one up, and figured I would note it for future reference.

Beerhippie · Aug 27, 2025

DetailSeeker said:
One last quick note; the first 1917 appearance of the nut plier describes it as oil-tempered and does not mention (or depict, although I admit I am relying on a drawing) the screwdriver on one handle.

The 1921 and later catalogs all mention black-enamelled handles and polished jaws, with a screwdriver on one handle. Might be useful for narrowing down the date range of individual examples? (Not that it isn't already quite short...)

Just noticed that as I was writing this one up, and figured I would note it for future reference.

I've had a few pair of pliers with the screwdriver handle. Maybe it's me, but I could never quite figger out how it's meant to be used.

DetailSeeker · Aug 27, 2025

Beerhippie said:
I've had a few pair of pliers with the screwdriver handle. Maybe it's me, but I could never quite figger out how it's meant to be used.

I have the vague sense that it's "open the pliers, make a fist around the open jaws, stab the screwdriver handle down into the screw, turn, turn, slip, cut yourself, swear like P. L. Robertson did back in nineteen-ought-whatsit, and clean up the blood before it rusts something."

Beerhippie · Aug 28, 2025

DetailSeeker said:
I have the vague sense that it's "open the pliers, make a fist around the open jaws, stab the screwdriver handle down into the screw, turn, turn, slip, cut yourself, swear like P. L. Robertson did back in nineteen-ought-whatsit, and clean up the blood before it rusts something."

Because that's just the thing--the handles are curved. It would make sense that you just open the handles all the way and have a big T-handle screwdriver, but the tip now is at an odd angle....

****, it's a slotted screw--no matter what the damned driver isn't staying in the slot anyways.

nadogail · Aug 28, 2025

Some of the old tools were only slightly distanced from "clubs".

neophyte · Aug 28, 2025

They probably figured they could sell a few extra pairs of pliers by putting a flat head screwdriver on the end of one handle.
The Eifel Plierench had a screwdriver at thr end of one handle, as do a number of Japanese Waterpump pliers, as do the waterpump pliers from various other manufacturers.
All V&B seem to have done is grind the one handle end to the right shape for a flat head screwdriver, rather than change the forging dies, which would likely have been way more expensive and problematic to do.
Manufacturers that plan for the screwdriver handle end usually make that handle straighter.
The designers at Knipex seem to have realized most users find the screwdriver tip a danger, or useless, and just don’t bother with it.

Beerhippie · Aug 28, 2025

nadogail said:
Some of the old tools were only slightly distanced from "clubs".

Yeah, but which clubs? Elks? Odd Fellows?

seber · Aug 28, 2025

Beerhippie said:
I've had a few pair of pliers with the screwdriver handle. Maybe it's me, but I could never quite figger out how it's meant to be used.

I had always assumed the screwdriver handle was meant to be a pry bar. The shape works well for that.

Private Lugnutz · Aug 28, 2025

It was advertised as a screwdriver blade.

I'm looking at some of the respondents on here and wondering about the sudden uptick of interest in Vaughan & Bushnell when I remembered that this thread was left up in the General Tools Discussion forum when most of its kind were moved down the Vintage Tools Discussion forum!

Pliers with a screwdriver tip blade first appeared on gas & burner pliers, which sometimes also had a reamer on the other handles, akin to older cap crimpers or nippers with a pry and a punch. This kind of multi-function and economical design crept its way into slip-joint pliers around the same time a side-cutter notch was appropriated from Button's pattern pliers and fence pliers and lasted well into the 1930's before hand tools became what the fin de siecle oldtimers would consider specialized.

Checking any trade mags and catalogs from any of the major mfgrs in the antique era will verify, but here's an excerpt from the 1922 catalog of one the most favored mfgs in my collection, Smith & Hemenway. (If you're not aware, Crescent moved into pliers by buying them out.)

ecotec · Aug 28, 2025

I have been wondering how the Marshalltown buyout is going to go long term. Vaughan is a great brand.

The Vaughan branded tools are still sold as Vaughan so far. Marshalltown has a lot of “USA” tools that do not state “USA” on the actual tools. I have made it very clear that I do not like this.

The extra long poll electrician hammers are my favorite hammers.

Crescent already has their name and logo all over the Lufkin stuff.

Alexander Vaughan & Sidney Bushnell

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